Our History

In 1906 WH Cork established WH Cork & Co as a practice largely focused on helping businesses in the grocery trade, which, in the early part of the last century, were being forced out of business by the growth of multiple grocers. WH Cork believed that the key to success was the ability to dominate a meeting by force of personality.

In 1935, WH Cork formed a partnership with his son Kenneth and another accountant, Harry Gully, creating Cork Gully. After WH Cork’s death and a period of war service, his sons, Kenneth and Norman became the owners of the firm and focussed on building the business, expanding throughout the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s to become the leading name in the field of restructuring.

Sir Kenneth Cork (as he later became known) was chairman of the Cork Committee, which published a major review of insolvency law in the UK, known as the Cork Report in 1982. This prompted a change in primary legislation and the subsequent introduction of the Insolvency Act 1986.

Stephen Cork now leads the business, representing the fourth generation to be in the field of restructuring. Stephen and the vastly experienced team he has brought to Cork Gully have advised both owner-managed businesses and main listed publicly quoted companies on the recovery strategies available to the Board as well as their financiers.